Filling system for filling a travel dispenser

ABSTRACT

A filling system for filling a travel dispenser comprising:
         a base ( 1 );   a fluid supply ( 2 ) that is mounted on the base ( 1 ); and   a travel dispenser ( 3 ) including a reservoir ( 31 ) that is provided with a filling orifice ( 32 ), the reservoir defining a determined maximum volume, the travel dispenser ( 3 ) being received in removable manner in a filling housing ( 13 ) that is defined by the base ( 1 );   wherein the base ( 1 ) comprises:
           a manual pump ( 4 ) for taking fluid from the supply ( 2 ) and delivering it through the filling orifice ( 32 ) into the reservoir ( 31 ) of the travel dispenser ( 3 ); and   an actuator member ( 43; 42 ) for actuating the manual pump ( 4 ),   
           said system being characterized in that the manual pump ( 4 ) defines a pump chamber ( 40 ) having a maximum volume that is substantially equal to the determined maximum volume of the reservoir ( 31 ) of the travel dispenser ( 3 ), such that, from a completely empty state, the reservoir of the travel dispenser ( 3 ) is filled by pressing once on the pusher ( 43 ).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of pending U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/534,593, filed Sep. 14, 2011, and priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d) of French patent application No. FR11 56609, filed Jul. 21, 2011.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a filling system for filling a travel dispenser, namely a low-capacity dispenser that can easily be carried, in particular while traveling. Advantageous fields of application of the present invention are the fields of perfumery, cosmetics, or even pharmacy.

“Travel” dispensers are used increasingly in the field of perfumery so as to enable users to apply the same perfume as the perfume of the dispenser that is left at home. Conventional dispensers include a medium- capacity reservoir, such that carrying such dispensers is not always easy. In addition, current regulations on air transport greatly limit the quantity of liquid that may be taken on-board. The size of a travel dispenser is specially adapted to enable it to be carried easily and to comply with regulations. The size of such travel dispensers is small as a result of the small capacity of their fluid reservoirs. This is why it is necessary to be able to fill them easily when they are empty.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the prior art, travel dispensers are already known that have a reservoir that has a filling orifice that is provided with a check valve. The check valve may be forced into its open position by an actuator rod of a pump or a dispenser valve that is mounted on a fluid supply. With a dispenser valve, it suffices to press the filling orifice of the travel dispenser on the actuator rod of the valve of the supply, so as to enable the reservoir of the travel dispenser to be filled continuously. With a dispenser pump, it is necessary to move the travel dispenser axially down and up several times on the actuator rod of the pump of the supply. The user manages the filling operation by pressing the travel dispenser on the actuator rod for a longer or shorter period of time, so as to fill it completely or in part. Either way, it is necessary to hold the travel dispenser firmly in order to press it on the actuator rod of the dispenser pump or valve. Even if the level of fluid in the reservoir is visible, it is often masked by the user's hand pressing the travel dispenser against the actuator rod. Thus, it is not easy to determine when the reservoir of the travel dispenser is full. There is thus a risk of filling it only in part, or of filling it too much, which can cause leaks.

WO2004/092016 describes a filling system comprising a base, a fluid supply mounted on the base, and a travel dispenser comprising a reservoir having a filling orifice, the travel dispenser being removably received in a filling housing defined by the base. The base comprises an electrical pump for sucking fluid from the fluid supply and supplying it through the filling orifice in the reservoir of the travel dispenser, and an actuating organ located in the filling housing for actuating the electrical pump. The drawback of this filling system is that the pump is electrical and thus needs an electrical power.

EP626210 describes a travel dispenser which may be filled through a filling valve which may open by pushing on the actuated stem of a pump. There is no bas supporting a fluid supply and no filling housing at the base for the travel dispenser.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to remedy the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art by defining a filling system for filling travel dispensers that is extremely easy to use and that guarantees that the reservoir of the travel dispenser is filled completely. An object of the present invention is to guarantee that the reservoir of the travel dispenser is filled in one single operation. Still another object of the present invention is to dissociate the act that controls filling both from the fluid supply and from the travel dispenser.

To do this, the present invention proposes a filling system for filling a travel dispenser comprising:

-   -   a base;     -   a fluid supply that is mounted on the base; and     -   a travel dispenser including a reservoir that is provided with a         filling orifice, the reservoir defining a determined maximum         volume, the travel dispenser being received in removable manner         in a filling housing that is defined by the base;     -   wherein the base comprises:         -   a manual pump for taking fluid from the supply and             delivering it through the filling orifice into the reservoir             of the travel dispenser; and         -   an actuator member for actuating the manual pump, said             system being characterized in that the manual pump defines a             pump chamber having a maximum volume that is substantially             equal to the determined maximum volume of the reservoir of             the travel dispenser, such that, from a completely empty             state, the reservoir of the travel dispenser is filled by             pressing once on the pusher.

Thus, the user does not need to worry about the filling state of the reservoir of the travel dispenser after actuating the actuator member. Correct and constant filling of the reservoir is guaranteed. Naturally, it is necessary for the reservoir of the dispenser to be empty prior to filling, since the volume of fluid that is injected is the volume of the reservoir.

Therefore, the base performs four functions, namely: mounting the supply; receiving the travel dispenser; a motor (pump) function; and an actuation function. The actuator member is secured to the base, and not to the fluid supply and/or to the travel dispenser. Consequently, the present invention defines a novel action for filling with travel fluid, namely: placing the travel dispenser on the base, and actuating the actuator member so as to activate the dispenser means for delivering fluid from the supply to the reservoir of the travel dispenser. Thus, the actuator member is completely dissociated from the supply and/or from the travel dispenser.

In a practical embodiment, the base includes delivery ducts between the supply and the dispenser means and/or between the dispenser means and the filling housing.

In conventional manner, the filling orifice may be provided with a check valve, the filling housing including an element that is suitable for opening the check valve.

In another advantageous aspect of the present invention, the supply is disposed upside-down on the base, with its opening situated in its bottom portion. Thus, it is not necessary to use a dip tube in the supply in order to take the fluid. The appearance of the supply is thereby improved.

In another aspect of the present invention, the supply, the filling housing, and the actuator member are situated on a common face of the base.

In an embodiment, the dispenser means comprise a manual pump, the actuator member being a pusher that is axially movable down and up. The pusher may advantageously be disposed between the supply and the filling housing so as to make its use intuitive. Alternatively, the actuator member is an actuator rod of the pump located in the filling housing and adapted to be actuated by the travel dispenser.

One of the principles of the present invention resides in using a base that incorporates a manual pump and an actuator member, on which base there are mounted both a supply and the travel dispenser to be refilled. Another principle of the invention lies in a single actuation of the actuator member leading to correct and constant filling of the reservoir of the travel dispenser, starting from a completely empty state.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings which show two embodiments of the present invention.

In the figures:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic section view of a filling system for filling a travel dispenser in a first embodiment of the invention, with the travel dispenser ready to be engaged in the reception housing of the base;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to the view in FIG. 1 with the travel dispenser engaged in the reception housing of the base; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the two embodiments of the invention shown in the figures, the filling system for filling a travel dispenser of the invention comprises: a base 1; a fluid supply 2; and a travel dispenser 3. The base 1 incorporates a manual pump 4 and actuator means for activating the dispenser means. The base also includes a reception housing 13 for receiving the travel dispenser 3. By way of example, the fluid supply 2 may be in the form of a container made out of glass, plastics material, metal, etc., that presents both a body 21 that is filled with fluid and an opening 22. In this embodiment, the supply 2 is disposed upside-down, i.e. with its opening 22 disposed in its bottom portion, as can be seen in the figures. The opening is connected to the pump 4 via a duct 15 that advantageously extends inside the base. Another duct 16 connects the pump 4 to the reception housing 13. The end 17 of the duct 16 that is disposed in the reception housing 13 serves as an opener element for opening a check valve 33 of the travel dispenser 3. The travel dispenser 3 includes a fluid reservoir 31 that defines a determined maximum volume. The reservoir 31 includes a top end in which there is engaged a pump that is fitted with a pusher 35. At its opposite end, the reservoir 31 defines a filling opening 32 that is fitted with a check valve 33. The reservoir also includes a viewing window 34 or a gauge system, so as to indicate the filling state of the reservoir. The reservoir may also be completely transparent or translucent so that the fluid can be seen therethrough. By engaging the bottom end of the travel dispenser in the reception housing 13, the end 17 of the duct 16 acts on the check valve 33 in such a manner as to open it, thereby creating a passage, putting the duct 16 into communication with the inside of the reservoir 31.

In the first embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pump defines an inlet 41 that is connected to the supply 2 via the duct 15. The pump defines a pump chamber 40 presenting its maximum volume in its rest position. The pump 4 also includes an actuator rod 42 on which there is mounted a pusher 43 that acts as an actuator member. The duct 16 is connected to the pusher 43, or, in a variant, to another component element of the pump 4. By pressing on the pusher 43, fluid is taken from the supply 2 via the duct 15, and is delivered to the duct 16 having its end 17 opening the check valve 33 of the filling orifice 32 of the reservoir 31 of the travel dispenser 3. Advantageously, the maximum volume of the pump chamber 40 corresponds substantially to the determined maximum volume of the reservoir 31 of the travel dispenser, such that the reservoir 31 may be filled with a single actuation of the pusher 43. By way of example, provision may be made for the maximum volume of the chamber 40 to be slightly smaller than the maximum volume of the reservoir 31. By starting with a reservoir in the completely empty state, it is possible to fill it by pressing only once on the pusher 43. In addition, when the reservoir is partially empty or partially full, the pusher may be actuated over a partial stroke until the reservoir is full. The user can see the filling state of the reservoir through the window 34.

It should be observed that the supply 2, the reception housing 13, and the pusher 43 are situated on a common face 11 of the base 1 that is opposite from a face 10 for coming into contact with a support surface. It is also possible to have the pusher 43 on another accessible face of the base.

In the second embodiment in FIG. 3, the manual pump 4 is connected to the fluid supply 2 by a duct 15 and is located in the filling housing 13. The manual pump 4 comprises an actuator rod 42 that acts as an actuator member. The actuator rod 42 is located in the filling housing 13, in such a manner as to be actuated by the insertion of the travel dispenser. Thus, when the travel dispenser is pushed inside the filling housing 13 of the base 1, the actuator rod is depressed and the pump 4 dispenses a fluid product dose which corresponds roughly or precisely to the volume of the reservoir 31 of the travel dispenser. The travel dispenser is thus again refilled with fluid product.

Therefore, when starting from a completely empty state, the user does not even need to worry about how the dispenser means need to be actuated in order to fill the reservoir of the travel dispenser. Merely placing or inserting the travel dispenser in its filling housing 13 suffices to cause it to be filled completely once again. A few seconds later, the user may remove it from the base 1.

In both of the embodiments described, the system includes a base 1 that incorporates a manual pump and an actuator member 43, 42 that may be actuated by the user or by the travel dispenser itself. In both embodiments, the action that enables filling is extremely simple and intuitive. Easy, correct, rapid, and constant filling of the travel dispenser is thus guaranteed without it being necessary to hold the travel dispenser in the hand. 

1. A filling system for filling a travel dispenser comprising: a base (1); a fluid supply (2) that is mounted on the base (1); and a travel dispenser (3) including a reservoir (31) that is provided with a filling orifice (32), the reservoir defining a determined maximum volume, the travel dispenser (3) being received in removable manner in a filling housing (13) that is defined by the base (1); wherein the base (1) comprises: a manual pump (4)for taking fluid from the supply (2) and delivering it through the filling orifice (32) into the reservoir (31) of the travel dispenser (3); and an actuator member (43; 42) for actuating the manual pump (4), said system being characterized in that the manual pump (4) defines a pump chamber (40) having a maximum volume that is substantially equal to the determined maximum volume of the reservoir (31) of the travel dispenser (3), such that, from a completely empty state, the reservoir of the travel dispenser (3) is filled by pressing once on the pusher (43).
 2. A filling system according to claim 1, wherein the base (1) includes delivery ducts (15, 16) between the supply (2) and the pump (4) and/or between the pump(4) and the filling housing (13).
 3. A filling system according to claim 1, wherein the filling orifice (32) is provided with a check valve (33), the filling housing (13) including an element (17) that is suitable for opening the check valve (33).
 4. A filling system according to claim 1, wherein the supply (2) is disposed upside-down on the base (1), with its opening (22) situated in its bottom portion.
 5. A filling system according to claim 1, wherein the supply (2), the filling housing (13) and the actuator member (43, 42) are situated on a common face of the base (1).
 6. A filling system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator member is a pusher (43) that is axially movable down and up.
 7. A filling system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator member is an actuator rod (42) of the pump (4) located in the filling housing (13) and adapted to be actuated by the travel dispenser (3). 